Need some build opinions.....

[NukeSec1]

(This is about my 15 year olds Duster Project.) I've listened to my engine builder about his ideas. Now I want ideas from you die hard Mopar guys that are living and breathing in your own real life Mopar world and have been where we are now. I would like to give you as many of the particulars about the car as I can, but the simple fact at this point in the build is that we don't know if we will be going with a 904 or an a833. That is absolutely the only thing we don't know about yet. So note that in your response "if you go with the 904, I would do this....If you go with the 4spd, I would do this......" Let's make this sort of a contest! I'll monitor this thread for awhile and when the ideas/posts stop coming I will invite the collective to vote on the best build for the buck.

Here are the particulars on the car.....
1973 Duster originally a 340/auto car. Currently has p/s, but swapping in a manual steering box (will use p/s column and coupler with the manual box if we go with an auto trans (or may consider the Lokar setup with the manual steering column). If we can get a 4sp set up the column will be swapped to the manual column). Power brakes. Battery will be trunk mounted. Frames will be connected. Mini tubs. SS Springs. Fuel cell. Roll cage. We are anticipating getting an 8 3/4 sure grip for the build.

This car will see....let's say 85% street driving and 25% 1/4 mile and maybe some 1/8th mile visits. And yes, I have tried to talk my son into an auto trans simply because it's "better" for the strip enviroment, but you can't argue with a 15 year old when he tells you that the 4spd gains "coolness" points. (He's right! Even though he's 15. 4spds are cool!)

You have a budget of $2000. ALL MACHINE WORK IS FREE OF CHARGE! (Feel free to mention what machine work you feel needs done. Hey, it's free!)

The cam/lifter package you choose will be paid for and is not part of the $2000 budget (X-Mas gift!). In fact, don't even factor a gasket kit or bearings into the $2000.

You have a complete 360 engine to start with (Sorry, I don't know what it came out of and don't have any #'s off of it as it is at the engine builders shop. He picked up the 360 when we picked up the car.) I can get that info if it makes a difference.

Special parameters: Pistons must be forged and the highest compression we can run comfortably on the street (nitrous may be involved). Heads....assume the worst here, but give us your best low budget option (Remember, all machine work is free!). Without a doubt, I'm sure you guys are dry heaving at the idea of using a stock cast head! Go ahead and give us the medial buck option. Better yet, go ahead and give us the high buck option on the heads. Even if it's over the $2000 budget.

So.....Do your best damage for the budget! Let the fantasy building begin!

 

[NukeSec1]

Also, dyno time is free as well!

 

[Dusterdude72]

well, you can't go wrong with a good set of headers,nice 4 barrel intake, 4 barrel carb, HC pistons,a set of junk yard magnum head,a bit of porting and polishing, a stall converter,exhaust system,a snappier gear out back,bump up the ignition system....list goes on.

but all of those things could be done very budget minded....you could probably pick up just about everything i mentioned for under your budget if you didnt go name brand and stuck with a summit or a jegs branded item for whatever specific thing your looking at getting.

a good cam combo will go a ways to but you mentioned that was not part of the budget.....just know depending on the cam you go with, you may be looking at new springs and what not also, you could bump up to roller rockers and you could also run a different ratio rocker such as a 1.6.

many possibilities.

I would say budget minded you could get as follows.... summit headers $120,used eddy intake $100,used eddy carb $100,nice set of pistons $200,junk yard magnum head $150,stall converter $300,summit exhaust $200,better gearing $200,upgraded ignition components $150.......just that there is $1520.00 just to give a rough estimate.....and you could probably push around 350ish horse out of a combo something like this....plus of course the free do it your self stuff like porting and polishing and gasket matching and so on.

Im not the best guy to give you info on this subject and I am sure a bunch of others will chime in with ideas that you can go with so ....someone will get you taken care of

 

[Rob R]

Follow your machinists recomendations....how much power do you want to make ?

 

[moper]

What I would like to do is not going to be done with $2K worth of parts... So this is what I would consider a low budget deal, even with free machine work... Free is cool, high quality and free is what's needed. So, parts list wise... I'd go with a swap meet Performer intake (80), new Edelbrock Thunder AVS 750 (326), new 2.02/1.60 tulip (stock type) valves (160), new springs to match the cam (150), stock retainers* and locks*, rockers*, and new Mancini thick rocker shafts(100), new (length to be determined) pushrods(200). Recurve factory dist* (7), timing tape(5), crank*, rods* w/good bolts(50), pistons(220), rings(40) > you'll end up file fitting them anyway, so you can get stock rings but they will need larger gaps<, main bolts*, windage tray pkg (80), bearings(110), cam bearings (40), block hardware/bushing (50), oil pump/pickup (70), timing set (40), fuel pump ecccentric (40), timing chain tensioner (40), fuel pump (40), dampener*. That comes to $1850. You still need 2 oil filters, 12 qts of oil, plugs, wires, and headers. That's about $450 worth of extra stuff assuming cheap headers.

For machining: heads- 5 angle valve job, cut spring seats, cut guides, mill for 68cc chamber, mill intake side to correct manifold fitment.
block - clean, mag, align hone, bore, square deck, plate hone
rotating assembly - drill crank for input shaft clearance if needed, index, stroke correct, turn, polish crank. replace bolts, resize rods, balance assembly using factory 360 dampener, but NO flywheel. mount pistons/rods.

For a cam I'd run the Comp Magnum 280H cam and the Comp 901-16 spring. Any more and you're buying rockers to withstand the beefier springs. I would balance sans flywheel because that will allow either a neutral convertor or a normal (not 360-only) flywheel.
As far as what I'd prefer to have done... Remove the head parts/labor and buy the LA-X heads from IMM (1400after shipping), internally balance the assembly and use an SFI approved balancer(330). So it would beed another grand in parts at least.

 

[NukeSec1]

Free and high quality machine work, yes that is what we are getting. I've never heard of crap leaving this shop. But anyway, good ideas! Keep them coming!